Town of Rochester Environmental Conservation Commission
Meeting Minutes May 11, 2017

Facilitator: Laura
Recorder: Chris
Attendance: Laura Finestone, John Messerschmidt, Angela Dorris, Tim Ganon, Sarah Archbald, Rick Jones, Judith Karpova, Chris Hewitt
Guests: John Michelson, David Church, Larry DeWitt

I. Call to Order. Minutes approved.
II. Presentation of Open Space Plan by John and David. Handed out narratives and maps. They shared a Draft Critical Environmental Area report for the Great Pacama Vly. Discussed what happens to our Draft Natural Resource Inventory; it will be automatically passed once the board passes the Natural Heritage Plan since most of the elements of the NRI are also included in the NHP. Also covered what it would mean if the ECC becomes a voting board; we would have more responsibility to chime in and review plans and proposals from the Planning Board. Discussed other significant areas of the town that are covered in the Plan, e.g. Rondout Creek, D&H Canal, O&W Railroad. We wondered whether these areas are included in the Plan as a protected area that will be focused on as a resource to be cleaned, improved and focused on recreation, between at least two towns. There is some talk about development being focused toward those areas, but the idea of transit-oriented development can help balance development and recreation. But this plan isn’t focused on development; it’s focused on resources to preserve. Other items included in the Plan: Night sky protection (hardware based), Right to Farm, Recreation fee (a dedicated fund for setting aside a portion of land that gets developed), Rural water language (performance standards), Department of Ag & Markets, wetlands & streams (enhanced language).
III. Reports
A. EMC (Judith)
-NYS Wetland Law and enforcement would improve threshold of protection to include vernal pools; EPA Office of Water; UC Dept. of the Environment doing a culvert assessment; 100,000 gallons a day dumped into the Hudson River near Albany as a result of winter snow melt; Dept of Energy report (electric vehicles and hybrids and Green Fleet); UC Legislature got a grant to increase composting, starting with the jail; available resources for training ECC members; Planning Board in Gardiner is now regularly consulting with the ECC; Rochester is on the home stretch of the Open Space Plan; and more topics covered.
B. Planning Board Report (Rick)
-No report. But there is some ZBA info to report. A company, Cypress Creek, wants to put a solar farm near Pompey’s Cave on prime soil land, which is against the new solar code. They will be proposing a change to the new code. The company will be proposing reasons why the code should be changed for them. Rick suggests that ECC members go to the next ZBA meeting. It’s a difference between area and use variances. The meeting is next Thursday, May 18 at 7pm at the Community Center.
C. Omelet (Tim)
D. Clean Sweep (John)
-Reported about all of the tires and garbage removed from the Rondout on May 6. John and Tim are planning to do it again in June.
E. Earth Day (Laura)
-Reported about the amount of trash picked up this year compared to previous years.
F. Solarize (Laura & Chris)
-Our launch party was a huge success. Many people signed up for solar assessments. The point of our next three gatherings, which we’re going to collaborate with the other towns on, are to bring people together who couldn’t make it to the last event in order to get more assessments done in our town.
IV. New Business
A. Climate Smart Communities-checklist and write up for the board
B. Solarize next steps
C. Brainstorming ideas for this year-
a. Composting
b. Signage
c. Climate smart
d. Plastic bags
e. Billboard
f. Newsletter
g. Septic
h. Liaison to historical society
I. Old Business
II. Action Item Review
III. Adjourn: 7:32pm